‘Hey there, handsome,’ she greeted, kissing him.
‘Hi,’ he replied with a weak smile. ‘I thought we might grab a bite here tonight if that’s OK.’
‘Of course.’
Straight away, she knew something was off.
The meal was lovely and perfectly civil, but he kept his eyes on the menu or his plate most of the time, refusing to meet her gaze. Annie’s stomach tightened with disappointment and her heart automatically closed over. She’d been around the block enough times to know what was coming.
And just when she’d thought things were going so well.
‘Is something wrong?’ she asked eventually, as he mulled over dessert options, his face glum and sombre and a complete contrast to his usual jokey demeanour.
‘No,’ he replied gently. ‘I’m just finding it so difficult to choose …’
‘I didn’t mean the dessert,’ Annie stated sharply. ‘I mean with you. You’re acting really strangely.’
He exhaled. ‘I just have some things on my mind, that’s all. It’s back to the real world soon and …’
Annie’s heart lightened a little. ‘And you’re worried about where that leaves us?’
‘No, I’m not worried about that at all.’
Now she automatically felt relief fill her stomach. OK, so he seemed pretty confident about where they stood. That was good, wasn’t it?
After dinner, he walked with her down to the beach, where once again they found themselves alone. She couldn’t help but reminisce about the first time they’d done this and all that had transpired since.
‘It’s so beautiful tonight,’ she commented as they walked. ‘Then again it always is. Everything about this place is beautiful. I’ll miss it when we leave.’
‘That’s true,’ he replied. ‘A place where the unexpected happens, wouldn’t you say?’
It was. Annie hadn’t come to the Amalfi Coast looking for anything she’d found there. New friendships weren’t on her mind, and neither was falling in love, but she’d found both just the same.
Or maybe they had found her. Maybe, like Felicity said, this magical place really did have the power to change lives.
‘Let’s sit,’ he instructed as he pointed to one of the blue sun loungers. Annie did as he asked, and he sat beside her, but still seemed tense.
‘What is it?’ she asked, wondering why the mood seemed so strange tonight.
Was he maybe becoming maudlin that their time together was coming to an end? She hadn’t figured him for the sentimental type. He’d seemed quite laddish and macho from the outset, but then again a lot of lads were when they were in a group, weren’t they?
And she knew he had a much softer, more romantic side. It was the one she’d truly fallen for.
Now he squeezed her hands gently, rubbing his thumbs over the curve of her knuckles.
‘Annie, I’m sorry. I haven’t been completely honest with you.’
Aha. So he was going to come clean about what had been bugging her since that night in the restaurant.
Well, this is good.
‘It’s just … I’m sorry, because I care for you and I don’t want to hurt you.’
Hang on, no. This was something different. More than a silly misunderstanding or a mistake.
A sickening feeling once again began to fill her stomach and she held her breath for a moment to gather her composure before she spoke.
‘What are you sorry about?’
